Envelop-opener.



No. 686,706. Patented Nov. l9, [90L H; H. BOWERMAN.

ENVELUP OPENER.

(Application filed Feb. 15, 1901 (Nb Model.)

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY H. BOWERMAN, OF LORELEY, MARYLAND.

ENVELOP-OPEN ER.

SPECIEIQAEION forming part of Letters Patent No. 686,706, dated November 19, 1901.

Application filed February 15, 1901. Serial No. 47,464. (No model.)

To (tZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY H. BOWERMAN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Loreley, in the county of Baltimore and State of Marylanthhaveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Envelop- Openers, of which the following is a specification.

Heretofore it has been the usual practice to open envelops with scissors, paper-knives, and like instruments, which require considerable time and care to prevent any damage to the contents of the letter. My invention is designed to overcome these objections and disadvantages, and to this end I make use of certain component and cooperative parts, which I deem sufficiently improved and operative to carry out the fundamental principles herein incorporated. However, I do not confine myself to the exact details of construction so illustrated and described, since obvious departures may be made without deviation from the inherent and generic features constituting the gist hereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the knife. Fig. 3 is a view of the spring-fingers. Referring to the drawings, A represents two oppositely-disposed brackets having similar curved slots B therein, the object of which willbehereinafterexplained. Thesebrackets are held together by a horizontal guard-plate C, disposed beneath the slots, and a plate D, which is at an angle with respect to the firstmentioned plate and is provided upon its lower end with a cutting edge E, which is in a line with and adjacent to the guard-plate. Pivotally or otherwise mounted between the brackets is a plate F, having a series of springfingers G, adapted to clamp the envelop against the inclined plate and to secure the same imposition. Pivoted to the respective sides of the brackets are angular arms H, which are formed upon a horizontal plate I, having a beveled cutting edge or knife :J, adapted to work inconnection with the cutting edge upon the inclined plate. This knife is adapted to be worked back and forth in the slots B by the handle K, which consists of a rod or bar secured between the free ends of 5c the angular arms and is provided with a spiral spring L, connecting the handle to the plate E, which plate carries the spring-fingers.

It will thus be seen that when an envelop is placed in the device the end thereof will rest upon the guard-plate and is held against the inclined plate by the spring-fingers in such a position that when the handle is shoved down the knife controlled thereby is brought to bear, together with the cutting 6c edge, upon the end of the envelop and Will readily remove the same. connecting the handle to the plate supporting the spring-fingers will serve to return the knife to its normal position, at which point it is ready to receive another envelop.

I deem the foregoing explanation sufficiently plain that the invention will be readily understood by all conversant in such mattore, the extreme simplicity rendering an 7c elaborate description unnecessary.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an envelop-opener, an inclined plate having a cutting edge, a horizontal guardplate adjacent to the said cutting edge, a plate having spring-fingers bearing against the said inclined plate, a knife working in connection with the said cutting edge, and means for opcrating the knife, substantially as shown and described.

2. In an envelop-opener, two similar brackets, a horizontal guard-plate and an inclined plate having a cutting edge connecting the said brackets, a plate pivoted between the brackets, spring-fingers upon the pivoted plate, a beveled knife, angular arms formed upon each end of the knife, a handle secured between the free ends of the arms, and a 0 lower end of the said plate, a horizontal guardplate adjacent to the cutting edge, a pivoted The spiral spring plate mounted in front of the inclined plate, spring-fingers upon the pivoted plate, a beveled knife working in connection with the cutting edge, angular arms formed upon the ends of the knife, the said arms pivoted to he respective brackets, a bar or handle connecting the free ends of the arms, and a spring connecting the handle to the pivoted plate, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth. 10

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HARRY H. BOWERMAN.

Witnesses:

HOWARD D. ADAMS, J. TAYLOR BAXTERI 

